Segmented Firearms Suppressor

ABSTRACT

A firearms flash and sound suppressor formed from ring segments ( 16 ) that thread into each other and baffle washers ( 18 ) that are captured between the mating joints of the ring segments thus forming chambers out of each ring segment ( 16 ). The ring segment male thread ( 16   a ) on the end of the suppressor subassembly formed from the joined ring segments ( 16 ) has a ring adapter ( 14 ) threaded onto it to convert it to a female thread. One end of the suppressor ( 10 ) has an end cap ( 20 ) threaded into it. The other end of the suppressor ( 10 ) has a muzzle adapter ( 12 ) threaded into it. The muzzle adapter ( 12 ) contains a female threaded hole ( 12   a ) to mate with a threaded barrel on a firearm.

BACKGROUND

1. Prior Art

Flash and noise suppression has long been of interest to gun owners and user. For sport use of firearms the noise generated at the muzzle often carries a considerable distance and can be an annoyance to those living near where firearms are being discharged. When hunting it is an advantage to have noise suppressed for fellow hunters utilizing the same hunting area. The noise of multiple firearms being discharged at a shooting range requires the shooters to wear high quality hearing protection.

For certain military use of firearms it is highly desirable to suppress both noise and flash at the muzzle during discharge.

This invention addresses a novel method for reducing both the flash and noise produced at the muzzle of a firearm during discharge.

A search of the intemet for gun suppressors will show hundreds of photos of various suppressors that have been developed by gun owners and manufactures. Youtube has many video clips and discussions of suppressor in operation and their designs. Time spent viewing these sources will led to the conclusion that the most effective designs incorporate multiple sequential chambers. These chambers slow the expansion of the gas as the projectile passes through them resulting in the reduction of muzzle blast noise. Furthermore the multiple chambers allow for the completion of the bum of the propellant before exiting the chambers. The result is flash suppression.

A search though the published designs and the published photos of firearm suppressors show many techniques for achieving multiple sequential chambers. To date all have used a single outer shell to contain inserts placed inside of the shell to achieve the desired design. The result is an inflexible designed product and is usually designed for use with a particular type of firearm. This invention provides a novel means of creating a multiple chamber suppressor that can be field rearranged to change the number of sequential chambers so as to meets the requirements of the shooter.

SUMMARY

This invention deals with the art of flash and sound suppression of firearms muzzle blast. The suppressor is formed from ring segments that screw into each other. A baffle washer is captured between the mating joints of the ring segments. This forms a chamber out of each ring segment. The first and last ring segments have end caps attached to complete the suppressor assembly. One of the end caps has an internal thread that fits the firearm threaded barrel. This end cap forms the muzzle adapter on the suppressor.

Advantages

This invention uses cylindrical segments that screw into each other. Each segment has a male thread on one end and a female thread on the other. Segments are fastened together using the male/female thread combination. The length of suppressor formed is the sum of the lengths of its segments. A separate baffle washer is sandwiched between each female thread on one segment and its corresponding male thread on the adjacent segment. This combination of parts forms a chamber out of each segment. This allows the user to form as many chambers as desired on the suppressor. The configuration can be field changed at any time. The suppressor is completed using end caps. One of the end caps contains a through female thread. The thread size is cut to fit the thread on a firearm barrel.

This design has several advantages over prior art.

First, the number of chambers on the suppressor can be changed at will to meet the needs of the user. In general, the greater the number of chambers used on the suppressor the better the performance of the suppressor. Second, to use the suppressor on different caliber firearms one only needs to change out the bore size of the baffle washers and the end caps. Third, the user has the option of modifying the performance of the by placing sound deadening material in some of the chambers. Refractory felt washers placed in certain chambers change the performance of the suppressor.

DRAWINGS Figures

FIG. 1 Suppressor Assembly

FIG. 2 Exploded View of the Suppressor Assembly

FIG. 3 Ring Segment

FIG. 4 Ring Adapter

FIG. 5 Baffle Washer

FIG. 6 Muzzle Adapter

FIG. 7 End Cap

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10—Suppressor Assembly -   12—Muzzle Adapter -   12 a—Muzzle Adapter Male Thread that screws into the Ring Segment     Female Thread -   12 b—Muzzle Adapter Female Thread that fits the firearm barrel     thread -   14—Ring Adapter -   14 a—Ring Adapter Female Thread that fits the Ring Segment Male     Thread -   16—Ring Segment -   16 a—Ring Segment Male Thread -   16 b—Ring Segment Female Thread -   18—Baffle Washer -   20—End Cap -   20 a—End Cap Male Thread that fits the Ring Segment Female Thread

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiment of this suppressor as a complete assembly is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 four Ring Segments 16 are used to construct the assembly. Any number may be used but for illustration purposes four are used here. The same assembly is shown in an exploded view in FIG. 2. A detail of a Ring Segment 16 is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows a detail of a Ring Adapter 14. FIG. 5 shows the detail of a Baffle Washer 18. FIG. 6 shows the detail of a Muzzle Adapter 12 and FIG. 7 shows the detail of an End Cap 20.

In FIG. 2 all of the mating joints have the same diameter and pitch of threads. This allows parts to be interchanged. The bore through the End Cap 20 and the bore through Baffle Washers 18 are machined slightly larger than the caliber of the intended firearm. For example a 22 caliber firearm could use a 0.312 bore for the Baffle Washers 18 and the bore in the End Cap 20

Each Ring Segment 16 has a Ring Segment Male Thread 16 a on one end and a Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b on the other end. These threads are of mating pitch and diameter. The depth of the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b is not greater than the combined length of the length of the Ring Segment Male Thread 16 a plus the thickness of the Baffle Washer 18. The Baffle Washer 18 diameter is slightly smaller than the counter bore formed by the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b and bigger than the internal diameter of the Ring Segment 16. To assemble these parts the Baffle Washer 18 is placed inside the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b counter bore until it seats on the bottom shelf formed by the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b and the Ring Segment 16 internal diameter. A Ring Segment Male Thread 16 a is threaded into the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b with the Baffle Washer 18 in position. The end of the Ring Segment Male Thread 16 a contacts the Baffle Washer 18 before running out of travel. This captures the Baffle Washer 18 holding it firmly in place.

This assembly process is repeated for each chamber to be added. A chamber is formed for each pair of Baffle Washer 18 and Ring Segment 16 that is added. The suppressor is completed by adding one Ring Adapter 14, one End Cap 20, and one Muzzle Adapter 12. The Ring Adapter 14 has a Female Thread 14 a machined through its entire length. The pitch and diameter of this thread matches the pitch and diameter of the Ring Segment Male Thread 16 a. The purpose of the Ring Adapter 14 is to thread onto the open male thread on the last Ring Segment 16 in the Suppressor subassembly described above. This produces a suppressor subassembly with female threads at each end. The End Cap 20 and the Muzzle Adapter 12 both have male threads that match the diameter and pitch of the Ring Segment Female Thread 16 b. The End Cap 20 is threaded into one end of the suppressor subassembly and the Muzzle Adapter 12 is threaded into the other end. Neither are end specific. This forms a completed Suppressor 10 assembly.

The Muzzle Adapter 12 has an internal thread machined into it. This thread is used to thread it onto the end of a barrel on a firearm. Common small caliber thread sizes are ½″×28 thds/in and ⅝″×24 thds/in.

OPERATION

Once a suppressor is assembled there are no moving parts and so operation is static. However, the suppressor can be customized to fit the needs of the user. The bore sizes of the Baffle Washers 18 and the End Cap 20 are selected for the caliber of firearm to be used. The Muzzle Adapter is selected to fit the pitch and diameter of the thread on the firearm. The number of chambers can be varied by varying the number of Ring Segments 16 used in the assembly. The volume of a chamber may be varied by using multiple Ring Segments 16 without Baffle Washers 18 to form larger chambers. Sound deadening material may be added to chambers to enhance the performance of the completed assembly.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

The embodiment of this suppressor provides the user flexible configuration that can be changed in the field. The field alterations permit optimization in the performance of the suppressor to match the firearm's characteristic muzzle blast. The description specificities should not limit the possible embodiments of this suppressor. For example the threaded joints may be replaced with bayonet style joints to achieve the same flexible design. It is also possible to design parts that are not circular in cross section and achieve the same flexible design. However, circular cross section parts with threaded joints are preferred for ease of manufacturing and reduced cost. 

I claim:
 1. A firearm muzzle blast flash and noise suppressor comprising: a. a ring segment with male threads on one end and female threads on the other end, and b. a baffle washer that can be sandwiched between outer end of said male thread on one ring segment and the bottom of the counter bore formed by said female thread on a joining ring segment forming a chamber partition between said ring segments, c. whereby joining multiple alternating said ring segments and said baffle washers form a suppressor subassembly with chambers in each said ring segment, and d. a ring adapter threaded on the exposed terminating male thread of said suppressor subassembly making both ends of said suppressor subassembly exposed female threads, and e. an end cap threaded into one end of said suppressor subassembly terminating that end of the said suppressor subassembly, and f. a muzzle adapter threaded into the other end of said suppressor subassembly terminating that end of said suppressor subassembly and thereby forming a complete suppressor. 